The details for the 2009 edition of the PCA (Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure) have just been released by Pokerstars. Since the event is so popular with online poker players, we thought that we'd devote an entire post to it.

The event will run from January 5th - 10th at the Atlantis Resort and Casino in the Bahamas. The buyin for the Main Event will be $10,000 this year, up from $8,000 last year. There will also be a $25k High-Roller NLHE tournament, as well as multiple other side events.

The Pokerstars Caribbean Adventure is once again an official EPT (European Poker Tour) event.

Satellites for the event are running now on Pokerstars. There are all sorts of cash, FPP and Step Sit & Go satellites that you can use to gain entry to the event. The prize packages this year are worth $14,300 - $10,000 for your main event buy-in, $2,300 for hotel accomodations, $1,000 spending/travel cash and an additional $1,000 that is credited to your hotel room for meals.

Flight 1a of the Main Event will be on January 5th, 2009. Flight 1b will be on January 6th, 2009. The final table will take place on January 10th, 2009.

This should be another big event with another monster prize pool. Last year, 1,136 players took part to generate a total prize pool of over $8.5 million dollars. Even with the increased buy-in this year, I would expect close to the same number of players. For a number of online players, the PCA represents their first major "live" tournament due to the fact that you only have to be 18 years of age to play. Combine that with the locale and the large prize pool and you have one of the most popular major tournaments of the year.

Bertrand "ElkY" Grospellier is the current defending main event champion. Previous winners include Ryan Daut, Steve Paul-Ambrose, John Gale and Gus Hansen.